Every Child is Supported

Every Child is Supported

Subsidized Child Care

What does this measure?

The percentage of children in subsidized child care, expressed as a rate of all children under 13.

Why is this important?

Parents who cannot pay for child care on their own may be unable to work or may leave children unsupervised. Child care subsidies can help low-income families get on their feet financially. The number of families receiving such help can be a partial measure of the number of working poor people in a region, though policy and administrative decisions can also factor into trends.

How is our region performing?

In 2015, 4% of the region's children were in subsidized care. The regional rate increased from 2014 to 2015, but is down 13% from 2007. The statewide rate (excluding NYC) remained steady from 2007 to 2015, but at a lower level, never moving above 2.6% or below 2.4%.

Among counties in the region, Monroe's children were in subsidized care at the highest rate in 2015, at 5.3%. The next highest regional county was Livingston, at 2.9%, followed by Orleans at 2.7%. Wayne had the lowest rate in the region at 1.0%.

Notes about the data

Data for each year represent the average of the number of children in subsidized care each month of the year, out of all children under age 13. Data for the years prior to 2007 were not consistently available for all counties and for the state without New York City. Comparable national data were not available. To be eligible for subsidized care, a child must be under 13, under 18 if disabled, or under a court order. Data do not reflect the number of children eligible for subsidized care, only those receiving it following a formal application and approval process.